Music and Passion Part 4
by Dana E. Vassy
Summary: Finally, they surrender to the music...


Title: Music and Passion (4/4)  
Author: Dana E. Vassy  
Rating: G  
Category: Mulder angst, M/F marriage (references) MSR  
Spoilers: Um, Je Souhaite? Not much really..  
Disclaimer: Sometimes, I take musicals and songs and mix   
them up with the X-Files. My therapist says it helps, so   
Chris, Fox, 1013 don't deny me. You'll have them back   
intact (unless you make a hash of season 8) The rights of   
Rodgers & Hammerstein, and Barry Manilow are noted and   
shamelessly monopolised. But don't make me set Hillary on   
you...  
Feedback: She sits there so refined, and drinks herself   
half blind. Send thoughts to   
scullys_no_slut@viceprez.fsnet.co.uk while I can still read   
em..  
Summary: Mulder needs a favour, which results in a theme   
wedding, dancing and a realisation. Inpsired by the Barry  
Manilow songs 'Copacbana' and 'Ready To Take A Chance Again'  
Distribution: Yes to Gossamer/Legacy. Anyone else, please   
ask first. I'll say yes, in all likelihood..  
  
The band had played enough popular tunes to keep the dance   
floor busy all night. Through all the reunions, Mulder had   
been dragged off by various friends to dance. In four   
hours, he hadn't managed to dance with Scully, since just   
about every man in the place had asked for her company on   
the floor. Mulder supposed it for the best, dancing wasn't   
his favourite sport. Scully seemed distracted, talking   
politely to her partner, but holding back somehow. Probably   
due to the unfamiliarity of everyone, he mused.  
  
He met her eyes as the cheesy tune ended. Crossing the   
dance floor, Scully met him at the buffet table. She was   
flushed with the exertion of dancing, dragging the weight   
of her huge dress all the while.  
  
"Enjoying yourself Scully?"  
  
"Ssh, it's Dana. And yes, your friends are charming   
people."  
  
He paused for a moment, toying with the rim of his   
champagne flute.  
  
"You're holding back on something. It's got me   
intrigued."  
  
It was Scully's turn to fidget, playing the naive card as   
her trumps.  
  
"There's nothing really, Mulder. It's just tempting to   
go a little mad with all the alcohol and music."  
  
Mulder considered her words carefully. It made sense, who   
wouldn't want to let loose whilst living such a restricted   
life? He knew the urge to lose himself in something,   
forget about life, even for five minutes. And as he saw   
Scully's eyes light up when the band began their next   
number, there was no doubt as to what he ought to do.  
  
"May I have this dance?"  
  
Scully smiled almost shyly, and offered her hand to be led   
into the crowd.  
  
They began to move discreetly, touching each other lightly   
as their bodies swayed with the rhythm. Mulder almost   
laughed aloud as the lyric began; it was the song Scully   
had been dancing to in her bedroom.  
  
****Her name was Lola  
She was a showgirl  
With yellow feathers in her hair...***  
  
He had known a few 'Lola' dancers in his time. Funny, but   
with Scully in such close proximity, he couldn't quite call   
these other women to mind. But he could notice the   
suppressed smile on Scully's face. Well, she wasn't going   
to hold back anymore. He leaned in to whisper in her ear.  
  
"Let go Scully. Just for today, don't be your usual   
self. Be the wild Dana who dances like a dervish. Enjoy   
yourself."  
  
She looked surprised by his intimation. But her reply   
wasn't quite what he expected.  
  
"Only if you do."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Diana. Work. Samantha. Let it cease to exist. Just   
feel the music. Live it, Mulder..."  
  
He was taken aback, but closed his eyes and let the Latino   
rhythms pound through him. The music was in him, under his   
skin. Working in and out like probing fingers, deeper with   
every note. He began to understand, to feel. And he let   
go.  
  
Later, he was aware of the twirling, the jumping, the   
gyrating of his body. The twisting and gesturing she used   
to keep in perfect time wit the music. She was the most   
beautiful and passionate dancer he had ever seen. How he   
had spun Scully, clearing the dance floor for only them.   
Every time they moved apart, she would come back, pressing   
tighter and tighter against his pulsating body. He was   
only conscious of the music, and of her. He could close   
out everything but her. And suddenly, he felt his   
resistance vanish.  
  
It was wonderful, to be so dizzy, so close to the edge.   
Here there was no pain, only sound and colour. It felt   
good to lose control; problems weren't his to deal with.   
What felt even better was the pressure of Scully's body on   
his. The heat she radiated, some sort of protective force.   
She was telling him she wouldn't hurt him. Emotion like   
this could save him. Love, lust and most of all trust. He   
was complete.  
  
The song ended, to rapturous applause from the gathered   
dancers. Most hadn't known Mulder could even dance, never   
mind upstage John Travolta. But the people paled, they   
meant nothing.  
  
All that mattered was Scully. Flushed and excited,   
standing before him, trying to deflect the attention. She   
looked up expectantly. He seized the moment.  
  
It was impossible, even with hindsight, to separate the   
next few minutes. How the kiss had begun was a mystery, he   
just knew their lips had met and the world had stopped.   
Cliched perhaps, but all that he could conceive of was the   
taste and feel of her mouth - warm, moist and insistent.   
Maybe it should have been a chaste kiss, a prelude. But it   
was too late, seven years too late, for that. They were   
devouring each other, lost in the passionate haze the music   
had created.  
  
Sometime afterwards, the music had started again, and they   
had separated their lips. Physically at least. Mulder was   
on fire, the sensation of the kiss still reverberating   
through his nervous system. He pulled her closer, wrapping   
his arms around her for the slow dance. She melted against   
his chest, moulding to him instantly. It all felt so   
right.  
  
Eventually, they left the floor. Time to talk.   
  
"I think they might believe you're a real date now,   
Scully." Mulder found it difficult to breathe calmly,   
blurting the words out like a startled teenager.  
  
"I'm glad I could help. Seems we both needed that."  
  
She met his inquisitive gaze with one of her own. Scully   
was obviously searching for the right words, and for the   
first time it occurred to Mulder that it might not have   
meant as much for her. Blind panic set in, as he waited   
for her speech.  
  
"Are you willing to take the chance Mulder? Did that   
mean as much as it felt like? Tell me it was temporary   
insanity, and I can walk away from it. I won't pretend   
that's what I want to hear though."  
  
Amazing. Scully wanted him, despite all the flaws and   
unresolved issues. She was reaching out, and he was only   
too glad to grab on. It wouldn't be plain sailing; he   
wasn't so naive. But it was worth a try.  
  
And unlike Diana, Scully could never hurt him. She wasn't   
capable of it. He only hoped he was enough to satisfy her,   
and more. If not, he would happily die trying.  
  
"I'm ready and willing Scully, if you're sure."  
  
"As sure as I've ever been. I want to help you heal,   
Mulder, it's been too long with you in pain. I love you."  
  
Startled, Mulder let his own reply stumble out naturally.   
It was exactly what she had wanted to hear.  
  
She gave him a coy smile.  
  
"Would it be rushing things to disappear up to my room,   
Mulder?"  
  
He just grinned in answer. Seven years was a respectable   
courting period. Leading her by the hand, he tossed out   
goodbyes to anyone and everyone on the way. But he didn't   
stop once. He had an appointment for some long overdue   
therapy.  
  
This story, unlike that of their 'characters' Anna and the   
King, wouldn't end in tragedy. Now they realised the   
love they had, both would do anything to preserve it.   
  
And it gave him a damn good excuse to get out of this   
hideous costume.  
  
"You remind me I live in a shell  
Safe from the past  
And doing okay  
But not very well...  
  
...When she left me in all my despair  
I just held on  
My hopes were all gone  
Then I found you there  
  
...And I'm ready to take a chance again  
Ready to put my love on the line with you  
Been living with nothing to show for it  
You get what you get when you go for it  
And I'm ready to take a chance again with you"  
  
READY TO TAKE A CHANCE AGAIN, Barry Manilow 


End file.
